Here are descriptions to some new homebuilder sites around Douglas and Elbert Counties. Please call anyone on our team or email us at info@coloradodreamhomes.net to get a list of available inventory:


Pradera

Private Golf Club South of Parker. Homes by Continental, Joyce, and many custom home builders. Hosted the 2005 Parade of Homes. Prices from 450K to 3 million.


The Timbers

Custom Home Community south of Parker. Prices range from 650K to 2 million. Mostly 1/2 acre lots with large Ponderosa pines and mountain views.


Cottonwood Highlands

A planned residential community called Cottonwood Highlands will be built on 222 acres of land northwest of Jordan Road and Cottonwood Drive. The developer is proposing 572 houses and 2.5 million square feet of commercial space and has asked Parker to annex the land. The latest concept has Cottonwood Drive being extended west as a four-lane arterial road to Chambers Road.


Horse Creek

The planned subdivision, built by Melody Homes, will have 440 single-family homes, an elementary school, middle school, 14-acre commercial site and an eight-acre park. The development is still under construction northwest of Jordan Road and Hess Road, but already has residents.


Sierra Ridge

Douglas County recently approved the rezoning of 360 acres of land southwest of Lincoln Avenue and the future extension of Chambers Road from agricultural use to planned development status to make way for 1,600 dwelling units. Sierra Ridge will have single family units as well as multi-family condominiums and commercial space. Developers are planning to build an elementary school and an interconnected trail system.


High Prairie International Polo Club

If approved by the county, this community of luxury homes will be built two miles southeast of South Parker Road and East Bayou Gulch Road and consist of 60 homes on 1,050 acres of land. The lots will occupy 220 acres of the land while 700 acres, or more than two-thirds of the site, will be preserved as contiguous open space.


Pine Bluffs

Roads are under construction in the mixed-use development on Hess Road between South Parker and Hilltop roads. Koelbel and Co. is building the master-planned community of 105 single-family homes, 85 town homes, 90 luxury homes "amid rolling terrain and open space with mature tree," a report from the Parker Economic Development Council said. Home sales are expected to begin this fall.


Anthology-Stories of the New West

The 3,000-acre site west of Motsenbocker and Stroh roads is expected to accommodate as many as 6,000 residential units and 100 acres of commercial uses. The plans include an 18-hole public golf course, more than 1,000 acres of open space and 20 miles of biking, pedestrian and horse trails. Pivotal Parker Investments acquired the SunMarke property, which was once a part of Stroh Ranch.


Idyllwilde

This development east of Hilltop Road and Crestview Drive will have 900 homes and a new high school. A large parcel of open land in the center of the community allows wildlife to migrate and feed. More than 50 percent of the 600-acre site will be preserved as open space. Idyllwilde will not be fully developed for another seven to 10 years, said Karanne Burdick, marketing coordinator for the community.


The Regency

The subdivision is planned for 80 acres on both sides of Newlin Gulch Blvd, a quarter mile south of West Parker Road. Land for roughly 190 single-family detached lots has been annexed into Parker. The development company, AmeriWest Communities, expects a preliminary plat to be approved by the end of the year.


Jordan Crossing

Roughly 30 acres on the southeast corner of Jordan Road & Todd Drive is being developed to make room for more than 100 single family homes. The site will include a two-acre park that will include playground equipment, picnic tables and outdoor grills.


Salisbury Heights

This subdivision will occupy about 40 acres on the west side of Motsenbocker Road just north of Hess Road. The 134 single-family residential lots were annexed into Parker earlier this year. The development will be built on an existing residential lot directly across the street from Salisbury Equestrian Park on Motsenbocker Road.


Woody Creek

The 100-home residential area is proposed for 45 acres on the southwest corner of Stroh Road and J. Morgan Boulevard. Four acres have been zoned for commercial use.


Enclave at Cherry Creek

The 35-acre development will go on Pine Lane between Jordan Road and Cherry Creek on the south side of E-470. Construction will start on more than 200 cluster homes and 100 condominiums in the first quarter of 2006.


Horseshoe Ridge

Horseshoe Ridge will be built on 125 acres northwest of Hess and Motsenbocker roads. Nearly 300 single-family homes and 115 multi-family units are planned, as well as 10 acres of commercial space. Grading has already started on the property.


Lincoln Creek

The 93-acre parcel southwest of Lincoln Avenue and Pine Drive will eventually have 725 single-family and multi-family units. Construction has already started on the land, which is just east of Parker in unincorporated Douglas County.


Prairie Meadows

The KB Home neighborhood spans 25 acres northwest of Parker at Jordan and Parkerhouse roads. The development plan includes 320 single-family attached homes, of which 10 percent will be attainable housing.


Neu Towne at Parker

Infrastructure has been installed to accommodate 340 single-family and patio homes southeast of Jordan Road and Mainstreet.
The development will surround a 7.5-acre park and open space that will include three water-feature swimming pools, a sand volleyball court and a cabana. More than 190 condominiums are also planned for the development. The east entrance to Neu Towne is off Motsenbocker Road, just north of Todd Drive.


Newlin Meadows

Newlin Meadows will sit on roughly 130 acres south of Newlin Gulch Road and East Mainstreet. The Parker Planning Commission approved the final plat for the third phase of the 237-house residential development. The site includes 14 acres for a middle school and 12 acres for commercial development, the economic development report said.


Tallman Gulch

The proposed neighborhood could include 120 residential lots on 450 acres of land north of Hilltop Road, half a mile east of Crestview Drive. The Douglas County Planning Commission recently approved a sketch plan for Tallman Gulch.


New Horizons

The 85-home development will be built on 55 acres southeast of East Mainstreet and Newlin Gulch Boulevard. Model homes have already been opened to the public. The neighborhood is in close proximity to Lutheran High School of the Rockies.


Other developments that are now being built or reviewed include Antelope Heights, Hein Center, Village on the Green and Reata South. Work will continue on the Canterberry and Meridian developments until they are built out.


©Colorado Community Newspapers 2005




From The Parker Chronicle:

Village Homes accepted the top honor from the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver Oct. 22 at the 2005 Bar Awards celebration in Denver. Idyllwilde is a luxurious 600-acre community that will boast 900 homes and a high school at full build-out. It is still under construction north of Hilltop Road and Canterberry Parkway.

"Our goal was to significantly raise the bar for master-planned communities when we designed Idyllwilde," said Matt Osborn, senior vice president of home building operations for Village Homes. "Winning the coveted Community of the Year Award is a testament to our design, construction and marketing teams at Village Homes, and we are very proud of this accomplishment."
Village Homes won a total of 15 first place awards at this year's event, and this is the fourth consecutive year the builder has captured the "Community of the Year" Award.
Paula Washenberger, marketing coordinator for Idyllwilde, said attention to detail and quality craftsmanship has distinguished Village Homes as one of the premier builders in the state.
"A beautiful place like Idyllwilde is what Village Homes has to offer to Colorado residents.

It's really starting to evolve and come into its own," she said. "The town of Parker is actually looking to Idyllwilde to set a standard as far as the design of future communities."
The 34 different models featured in Idyllwilde range from 1,650 to 3,725 finished square feet and cost between $280,000 and the mid-$500,000s. A blend of ranch and two-story homes surround a vast expanse of centralized open space that creates a spacious feel.

Ten scenic trails wind through 300 acres of vacant land and wildlife corridors to round out a "wealth of first-class recreational amenities," a press release announcing the award says.

Construction is now underway on the Grand Hall, a 7,800-square foot recreation center with a swimming pool, social hall with a fully-equipped kitchen and an outdoor barbecue pit with seating. The subdivision is not expected to be complete for seven to 10 years.

In August, Village Homes unveiled Tallman Meadow Park, a 12-acre public park featuring a playground, baseball and soccer fields, picnic areas and access to nearly five miles of trails.
"There is no other community like Idyllwilde, especially in that area. It has captured the Colorado feel so well," she said.
In addition to the Community of the Year Award, Idyllwilde won Bar Awards in several categories, including best landscaping and best detached home of the year for the Lancaster design plan from the builder's Signature Collection. Bar Awards are presented to builders who "raise the bar," Washenberger said.



Local Developer Plans $750M Mixed-Use Project
Thursday, January 26, 2006


DENVER - Locally based Westfield Development, the development arm of the Frederick Ross Co., plans to start construction in October on the first phase of Lincoln Station, a mixed-use development at the most southern stop of the T-Rex light-rail line.



Because of the proximity of the light rail, many residents and employees at Lincoln Station may not even need a car.


The developer thinks tenants will pay a premium for a new office building that is served by light rail. The first building will be a “signature” class A office building with 150,000 sf.



The first phase also will include a retail village of 30,000 sf; a smaller office building of 30,000 sf; and 80 residential units, priced from about $200 per sf to $450 per sf.

Eventually the entire development could have three million square feet of commercial space and 1,500 residential units. The developer states that they will react to market demands. If the market wants more residential, they will over-weight to residential, and if they want more office, they will over-weight the office portion. The current estimate is that it will ultimately have 800,000 square feet to one million of commercial space, and perhaps 800 for-sale and rental residential units.


Canadian Developer Unveils Plans for $165M Condo Development
Tuesday, January 31, 2006

DENVER-Toronto-based Great Gulf Group unveiled plans for a 55-story, $165-million luxury condo project on a 25,000-sf site at 14th and Lawrence streets, at the edge of LoDo. The development, which would be one of the tallest buildings Downtown, would be constructed across the street from the proposed Four Seasons hotel. It is the first development by Great Gulf in Denver.


"Denver is experiencing a renaissance," says Gary Switzer, executive vice president for Great Gulf Group. "We are committed to designing an elegant living community that enhances the city's already vibrant growth."


The tower will be solely private residences, although amenities and services will be on the level of a five-star hotel including a doorman, concierge, valet parking and an on-site recreational director to name a few. Units are expected to range from 1,200 sf to 7,000 sf. Most suites will average between 1,600 sf to 3,200 sf. Limited to no more than five units per floor, prices will start in the mid-$500,000s. Each unit will feature an individual private balcony. "We'll have a small amount of retail on the ground floor," says Switzer.



9/22/06
Council approves plan for 134 houses

Council approved the sketch and preliminary plan for Salisbury Heights, which could be built on two vacated residential parcels across from the town-owned Salisbury Equestrian Park. If plans are approved, 134 single-family homes will be built on 38 acres at a maximum density of 3.5 units per acre.

Town planner Patrick Mulready said the area is in a state of transition and urbanization. He cited surrounding developments, such as Horseshoe Ridge, which is under construction northwest of Motsenbocker and Hess roads, as an example of growth in the area. Salisbury Heights is planned to go on land just south of an existing storage lot for recreational vehicles.

The town reached an agreement that allows the developer, AmeriWest Communities LLC, to pay in-lieu fees because it is two acres short on the required amount of park land and 1.7 acres short for open space. AmeriWest will pay the town $75,000 per acre for the open space and $275,000 per acre for improved parkland.

Councilman Jack Hilbert said the town could use the money for open space and parks in other future developments that have room available.

If development plans are approved, AmeriWest will make necessary improvements to Motsenbocker Road along the neighborhood's boundary. Motsenbocker will be widened to three lanes from the northern boundary of Salisbury Heights to Hess Road because of additional road improvements by the developers of Horseshoe Ridge.

Native coniferous and deciduous trees on the Salisbury Heights property will be removed as part of a "tree mitigation" plan to make way for the home construction. However, the developer is being allowed to plant new trees in a different area.

The development plan for Salisbury Heights must follow the Salisbury Estates Neighborhood Objective, a tool that helps town planners analyze proposed developments and how they integrate with future roads, trails and open space.

As the area develops, the town wants trails to connect to each other and future roads to fit the master plan so doesn't look like a "piece-meal enclave," said Bryce Matthews, town planner, in an Aug. 2004 interview.

The sketch plan for Salisbury Heights shows alignments for an equestrian trail that leads to Salisbury Equestrian Park, as well as future road stubs and adjacent open space.

Salisbury Estates encompasses both the Cherry Creek Highlands and Kings Ranch subdivisions and much of the Motsenbocker Road corridor from the Xcel power substation south to Hess Road.

An old railroad car that sits on the AmeriWest property might be moved to another location, but no final decisions have been made.

Contact Chris Michlewicz at cmichlewicz@ccnewspapers.com
©Colorado Community Newspapers 2006





Construction crews started work last month on the first phase of a new residential development east of Parker.

Natureview Development LLC began roadwork on Hilltop Road for the Tallman Gulch development in unincorporated Douglas County. Tallman Gulch is being built half-mile east of Hilltop Road and Crestview Drive and will include 120 luxury homes on approximately 450 acres.

The developers are widening Hilltop Road to four lanes as required by a public improvement agreement with the county. However, the additional lanes will not be through lanes and are only intended to serve the development. One is an acceleration lane for those turning onto Hilltop Road, the other will be used as a left turn lane into Tallman Gulch, said Matt Williams, development review engineer for Douglas County.

There are no plans to widen Hilltop Road for through traffic.

Motorists who use Hilltop Road will not be significantly impacted by the construction, although traffic was backed up for miles last week to allow construction equipment to use the roadway. Natureview Development budgeted $381,000 for the improvements to Hilltop Road.

The Tallman Gulch property, which is surrounded by the Hidden Village, Parker East, Crest View and Parker Ridge subdivisions, was rezoned in 2002 from agricultural use to a rural residential designation. Some homeowners in the adjacent communities were concerned about the lot sizes in Tallman Gulch because they will be less than the 5-acre properties nearby. The lots for the new development will be between 1.5 and 2 acres in size.

More than 230 acres - roughly half of the Tallman Gulch site - was dedicated as open space. The dedication far exceeds the county's requirement for open space for residential developments.

A Douglas County planning document says the development's design incorporates wildlife corridors, minimizes obstruction of scenic views from publicly accessible areas and includes structures that will not "dominate the natural environment."

The developers are also expected to protect natural resources and unique landforms, the document says.

The gulch that runs through the property was named for John Tallman, who built a small cabin in 1866 that still stands in the Canterberry Crossing subdivision. The partially restored structure is in the Colorado State Register of Historical Places.

Contact Chris Michlewicz at cmichlewicz@ccnewspapers.com
©Colorado Community Newspapers 2006


4/2/07
Development to add 220 houses on 84 acres

A proposal for high-density housing west of Motsenbocker Road was nixed in favor of single-family houses because of the development's proximity to a school.

Parker Town Council approved the last batch of houses last week for the SunMarke development. Council voted 4-0 to approve a sketch preliminary plan for 222 single-family houses on 84 acres in the existing housing development. The new houses will be built southwest of Motsenbocker Road and Hess Road near Legacy Point Elementary School.

The 5,000- to 9,000-square-foot lots will range in price from $275,000 to $375,000 and be buffered on the west side by a tributary, which has been designated as regional open space. A piece of land adjacent to the houses is slated for a new church.

More than 20 acres, or 23 percent of the project's land area, will be dedicated as open space, while recreational trails will wind through the development and connect with other local and regional paths. The primary access point for the new houses will be off French Creek Drive.

The Parker Planning Commission unanimously recommended last month that town council approve the sketch-preliminary plan, which depicts the proposed design of the community. The last filing for SunMarke still needs to go before council for final platting and site plan approval, said Steve Greer, development review manager for Parker.

Kurt Wolter, general manager of SunMarke, said the plan initially proposed 260 dwelling units on the 84 acres, with some being multifamily units. High-density housing, such as apartments and condominiums, would not have been conducive to an area with an elementary school, while multi-family dwellings will be built farther west.

Some council members applauded the decision to remove the high-density units, saying they prefer the revised plan over the initial proposal.

Residential development in SunMarke will be complete once the houses are built this summer. Much of the SunMarke property was purchased in 2004 by a Phoenix-based investment company called Pivotal Group; the local offshoot later became known as Pivotal Parker Investments LLC.

Pivotal changed the name of the undeveloped SunMarke land to Anthology: Stories of the New West. The plans for Anthology have not been submitted to Parker for the development review process.

Town council approved the SunMarke planned development in 2003 with a proposed 5,500 houses on roughly 2,800 acres of land. The plan included an 18-hole public golf course, more than 1,000 acres of open space and 20 miles of biking, pedestrian and horse trails. The SunMarke property was once a part of Stroh Ranch.

The new SunMarke houses will be built across the street from another residential community now under construction. Horseshoe Ridge is being built northwest of Motsenbocker and Hess roads and will comprise roughly 400 single-family detached homes, multifamily condominiums and a mixed-use commercial center.

Contact Chris Michlewicz at 303-841-5497
or cmichlewicz@ccnewspapers.com.



6/10/07
Town council OKs active adult community, name change

Council voted 4-1 during a meeting to allow major changes to a residential development plan for SunMarke, a 5,500-home project purchased by Parker Pivotal Group. One amendment officially changed the name of the development to Anthology. Council member Tracy Hutchins cast the only dissenting vote, calling Anthology an 'elitist' gated community that would be off limits to outsiders. That's not part of our vision for a hometown feel, she said, adding the conversion from a public to private community is active adult community, name change. Anthology, which will be one of the largest residential developments in Parker, is slated to be built on 2,785 acres southwest of Hess Road and Motsenbocker Road, and on both sides of Crowfoot Valley Road near the southern town boundary. Four votes were needed to rezone certain pieces of land within the proposed development; Hutchins made a motion to deny the proposal, but it was not seconded. Council member Tina Long did not attend the meeting. One amendment approved by town council was to designate a portion of the development as a 1,500-home active adult community. The active adult section will be west of the future extension of Chambers Road. Regular residential housing is proposed for the east side of the major arterial road, along with a campus for a middle school and high school, said Francis Najafi, president of Parker Pivotal Group, a land development company based out of Arizona. The company researched and analyzed the market before deciding to submit the final plan, which mixes residential, commercial and open space uses, said Kurt Wolter, general manager of the project. Many of the changes to the plan occurred because of Douglas County's decision to use Hess Road to connect to Interstate 25 instead of Stroh Road, but some were logistical decisions. The amendments altered the road network and relocated the residential areas, golf course, open space, high school and core area in the neighborhood. Several residents from Horse Creek, Newlin Meadows and Antelope Heights have complained about the changes. Jeff Seeley, a homeowner on Firefly Avenue in Horse Creek, spoke at the meeting and said his home was initially going to back up to the planned golf course. With the changes, he will now be facing retail developments. That compounds the Hess Road decision, Seeley said, which will result in increased traffic behind his home. Wolter said he will 'take a hard look' at the buffers proposed for that section of Hess Road. Anthology will feature low- and high-end homes with contemporary western architecture for 15 different markets, including singles, Baby Boomers and families. The architecture offers models for Mountain Ranch, Prairie and Spanish-style homes among others for a 'unique and distinctive look,' Wolter said during the meeting. A site plan for the proposed town homes was removed from consideration Monday so the developers could revise it. However, Parker Pivotal plans to immediately submit seven residential filings to Parker's community development department for review now that the rezoning and amendments have been approved. The company is hoping to start construction on spec homes and models by the end of next year and wants to schedule a grand opening for the first part of Anthology by summer 2009. The amenities for the development include three competitive swimming pools, a public 18-hole golf course, arboretums, four parks, three dog parks, soccer fields, sand volleyball courts, recreation centers and a possible sledding hill. Major retail centers will be built at the intersections of Hess Road and Chambers Road and Crowfoot Valley Road and Chambers Road, which has not yet been extended south of Lincoln Avenue. Anthology could have as much as 1.5 million square feet of commercial space at full build-out. The purpose of the amendment proposing the active adult community was to 'refine the plan based on current and expected market conditions and the desire to create a more cohesive community' the development plan says. The intended demographic is 'one of the largest growing segments of the population: the Baby Boomer generation and empty nesters, with targeted ages of 50 and above' it says. Senior housing is in demand and would allow residents currently living in Parker to stay in town instead of moving to an active adult community or facility in Denver or Aurora. Retirees and active adults would be a 'strong asset for Parker' and would bring a lot of buying power to the town without overcrowding schools, Wolter said. The Anthology property was annexed in 1984 as part of the Stroh Ranch development. Town council approved two amendments to the plan in 2001 and 2003, when Hess Ranch was added to the development. The total number of dwelling units and the amount of space allocated for parks and open space has not changed from the original plan.